V8 Vantage GT2
V8 Vantage GT2

V8 Vantage GT2

(2008 - 2011)

The V8 Vantage GT2 was the fourth racing car from Aston Martin Racing and completed its portfolio of GT cars in each of the four categories GT1 (DBR9), GT2 (V8 Vantage GT2), GT3 (DBRS9), GT4 (V8 Vantage N24). Of course, the GT2 has been closely based on the V8 Vantage roadcar and was designed to participate in the FIA GT series, Japanese GT, European Open GT, the Le Mans 24 hour and both the European and American Le Mans series. Also, interestingly the car was the first racing car to have been designed to run on both standard and E85 bio-ethanol fuel.

 

 

V8 Vantage GT2

The bonded aluminium chassis for the GT2 came directly from the road car although with the addition of an aerospace spec steel roll cage to FIA regulations. The aluminium roof panel was taken straight from the road car too but all the rest of the bodywork was made of lightweight carbonfibre. This came with an advanced aerodynamic package with carbon fibre splitter, flat floor and diffuser, and a carbon fibre rear wing designed using computational fluid dynamics.

The prototype car, chassis /X2 was finished in Gulf Racing Blue with orange highlights although without true sponsorship, was first seen in 2008. And although the car was a prototype, it has occasionally been ‘borrowed’ by private customer teams considering purchase in occasional races. In 2013, it was ‘dressed up’ to later GTE spec and displayed at the 2013 Aston Martin Centenary Celebration, Kensington Palace.

Drayson Racing began running chassis 001 in the 2008 American Le Mans Series and then entered the second chassis, 002 into the GT2 class at Le Mans in 2009.

Including the prototype, X/2, a total of 10 GT2’s were built before the car was replaced by the improved V8 Vantage GTE.